Resilient wheel.



J. R. AYOTTE.

RESILIENT WHEEL. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 22, 1914.

Patented Jan. 11, 1916.

F J a m [A m JOSEPH RENE AYOTTE', OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

RESILIENT WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 11, 1916.

Application filed January 22, 1914. Serial No. 813,685.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J osErH RENIi AYo'r'rE, a subject of Great Britain,and resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Resilient Wheels,of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

This invention relates to improvements in resilient wheels forautomobiles and other heavy trucks in which a spring is interposedbetween the spokes and the hub, and particularly those in which thespokes are rigidly secured to the rim or felly, and inclose a plungerseated upon a spring therein.

The prime object of this invention is a resilient wheel for automobilesthe construction of which is such that when an automobile is brought toa sudden stop either from striking an obstruction, and particularly onshutting off the engine, and also when the brake is instantly forciblyset, the wheels may thereafter continue their revolution for asufiicient length of time to substantially rcducethe shock upon themachine, the occupants and especially the driving mechanism, andconcurrently therewith prevent the wheels from skidding.

A further object of my invention is a means forming a connection betweena wheel and its hub whereby there may be imparted to the wheel anangular rotation of the wheel, and in such a manner that the forceimparted by striking obstructions in a roadway is substantially absorbedby the wheel, and that on shutting off the driving power therefor, andthat following the sudden setting of the brakes, the wheel willthereafter continue to revolve for a sufiicient length of time anddistance preventing injury to the driving mechanism and the skidding ofthe wheel.

One of the objects of this invention is to reduce to a minimum thenumber of parts necessary for obtaining the best results from aresilient wheel, increase the strength and durability of the wheel as awhole, dispense with any necessity for anti-friction bearings and to sosimplify the construction of the several parts as to facilitate theirassemblage, and make it possible for unskilled persons to both assembleand disassemble the several parts of the wheel.

A further object of this invention is to have such a connection of thespokes-with the felly and with the hub that after being assembled therecan be no lateral vibration of the spokes or of their plungers, and thatthe friction of the lateral bearing surface of their springs againsttheir opposing surface shall be reduced to a minimum.

\Vith these ends in view, my invention finds embodiment in certainfeatures of novelty in the construction, combination and arrangement ofparts by which the said objects and certain other objects arehereinafter attained, all as fully described with reference to theaccompanying drawing, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In said drawing: Figure 1 illustrates in side elevation an automobile orheavy truck wheel in which my invention finds embodiment. Fig. 2 is asimilar view of the hub with a. portion of the cap plate removed, withone of the spokes and a portion of the felly, rim and tire in verticalsection. Fig. 3 is a vertical section through one of the spokes and thehub with the axle shown in full lines. Fig. i is an inner face view ofone of the clips for connecting the felly with and preventing a lateralmovement of the detachable rim, Fig. 5 is a transverse section throughsaid clip. Fig. 6 is a detail cross section through the hollowscrewthreaded collar, the plunger and the spoke.

Similar characters of reference indicate the same parts in the severalfigures of the drawing.

6 indicates a rubber tire preferably composed of solid rubber compoundseated and confined in a flanged rim 7 of the usual form, and in theusual manner, and seated upon the rim 8 provided at intervals with spokereceiving apertures 9, and with side flanges 10 and 11.

The bottom of the rim 7 rests flatly upon the side flange 10 and abutsagainst the flange 11, which thereby forms a lateral bearing or stop forthe rim 7 as indicated in Fig. 3, the rim being prevented from lateralmovement in the opposite direction by clip plates 12 secured by means ofscrews 18 passing through perforations l t in the clip plates, which arearranged at intervals of the rim and felly. These clip plates arepreferably located at a point between spokes, are bent outwardly asindicated at 15 in Fig. 5 and their upper edges provided with serrations16 holding the rim against rotation on the felly.

Projected through the perforations 9 are the outer ends of spokes 1.7,provided with a shoulder 18 abutting against the b otfelly 8,"'wliicliitliat ofii hub 32 on the inner end of which spokes are tubular inform-,""and "are screw= threaded at their outer ends for receivingascrew-threaded clamping bolt 19, provided tom and underside of the witha flange 20 supported by theinner face o'fthe'rim, so that when the bolt20 'is tightened the spoke will not only be rigidly clamped to thefelly, but in such a manner as to form both a dust and water proof jointwith the rim. The inner ends of these spokes pro ect through openings 21in a casing 22, and are provided with shoulders 23 abutting vagainst therim 24: of the casing 22, which shoulders are preferably countersunktherein, as shown, as also may be the outer spoke shoulders 18 in thefelly 8.

The inner ends of the spokes, like their outer ends are internallyscrew-threaded to receive a hollow screw collar 25, provided with aflange 26, abutting against the inner wall of the rim 24 of the casing,when ti-ghtened as should be to rigidly clamp the inner ends of thespokes to the casing. -The opening through the hollow screw collar 25 isangular and preferably; square in cross-section, and forms the bearingfor a 1 plunger '27 of corresponding angle in crosssection, and whichinternally of the spoke is provided with a collar or shoulder 28, whichwith the inner end of the hollow screw collar 25 forms a stop limitingthe inward thrust of the plunger with relation to the disk 29 and at thesame time forming a seat for the inner end of a coiled spring 80surrounding the plunger, the outer end of which spring is seated againstthe screw bolt 1 19 at the outer end of the spokes. By having theplunger 27 angular in cross section and a corresponding bearing thereforin the collar 25, as clearly shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8 instead ofcircular as heretofore, the move ment of the plunger is not onlymaintained in a direct line, but the plunger also operates to lock thecollar 25 against turning while at the same time so directing themovement of the shoulder 28 against the spring that it is prevented fromwabbling and wedging in.

the spoke, and as a result of which its friction is correspondinglyreduced. In this connection it should also be observed that the spokesare lined with copper or brass consisting of a tube 31 of thin brass orcopper, closely fitting the spoke, and forming as nearly as may be ananti-friction bearing surface for and extending the entire length of thecoiled spring, it being found in practice that there is less frictionbetween a'steel spring and copper or brass, than between such a springand a metal slmllar thereto, as

herein shown.

The of the 1s concentric to isapla te--3-3-bearingagainst the inner wall34 0f the casing 22 and provided with cirthe casing, and which form aseat fora cas-v ing cover et'O'which may be for finishing p'ur-.

poses, countersunk in the casing as indie cated at ll. '1" The: cover 401s secured 1n a closed position by means of a auras screw-threaded-onthe? stem 37 of the;- disk'29. Th nut 42 ,ispro==f vided with anoutwardlyprojecting. ann'u 'i la-re neck 43 upon; which; Sisscrew-threaded'aa cap 44, and .they-outerrend of the: hub '32 -i7sf"closed by acap 4,5, said'cap, serving to 6X-',' clude dust and otherforelgnsubstances,"and 9 when desirech'may form;lubricating charmbers.;,I 4 1?- The circular plates 33'and-38 are'inwardlyi provided with,peripheral flanges 46 and At? respectively forming lateral bearings ,forthe 9 phuigers, and for? giving the; plates greater strength andrigidity,- gbutgit wlouldv:-;be no; substantial departure from myzinventi onlto. omit either one or both of said flanges:

' It will now be observed that the-plate-Qil;

by reason of therholes 35 and screw;:bolts' or; stops 36 in the plate"3,3,;has both ;an oscilf-.;- lating and reciprocating movement limitedonlyby the dimensions of the openings 35 in the plate, 33, and that thedisk 38 is rotatable about the stem 37 and mayhave concurrently areciprocating m'ovementwithirr the opening of the cap or cover 40.Thislateral and reciprocating stop movement of I the plates 29 and 33provides for an angular 1 oscillation of a'h'ub in its casing inopposite directions, as be fOllOWiIl-g -ll1l'ECbIiCIIII-E rently wit-hthe-treadof the wheel about the axiszof the axle,limited,only bythediameter of the slots in the-plate 29, and which'prefw 1 erablypermit the rim and treadltoimakek about one-fourth of arevolution;after-the driving power is; shut off, or the brakes are set, or both,and with the resultthat the sh-ock'otherwise impartedv to the driving- 1brake mechanism when suddenly cutoff;- while the automobile is runningeitherba'ckward or forward is substantially and materially reduced,andnatethe Isamevtime; the

Wheel'is prevented from skidding because of? 1 its: partial rotationthereafter-l:v While it has, been found in practice'that" an oscillationpermitting a one-fourth revolution of the wheel is suflicient underordi-" nary .Icirciunstaiices for the purposes aboye 1 described, myinvention, however, is not limited thereto, and therefore includes aslot of any diameter for increasing the length of these oscillations,and thereby the tractional distance the rim and tread of the wheel maymove both forward and backward, before the plate 29 engages the stop andstops therefor. Nor is my invention limited to the special form,construction and arrangement with reference to the hub and the casing ofthe plates 29 or 33 of the slots therein, or of the form the stops mayhave for producing the results above described. It should also beobserved that the employment of the means herein shown and described bywhich a wheel may simultaneously have a recipro' eating revolution aboutthe axis of a hub or its axle is not limited to a Wheel in theconstruction of which the spokes are rigidly secured to the rim andcooperate with a plunger, for obviously it is adapted for resilientwheels in which there is a reverse arrangement of the spokes, that is tosay in which the spokes are attached to the hub and the plunger to therim.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. A resilient Wheel comprising in combination a folly, an axial casing,tubular spokes, the opposite ends of which respectively abut against thefelly and casing and project therethrough, a screw bolt removablyclamping the spoke to the telly, a hollow screw-bolt clamping theopposite end of said spoke to the casing, plungers and springs foractuating said plungers con- &

fined by said spokes, said plungers having their bearings in the hollowscrew-bolts and provided with a collar forming a stop by its engagementwith the hollow screw-bolt limiting the stroke of the plunger.

2. A resilient wheel comprising in combination a hub, hollow spokesrigidly secured thereto, yielding plungers supported by said hub,angular in cross section, and an angular bearing therefor preventing alateral movement of the plungers.

3. A resilient wheel comprising in combination a hub, hollow spokesrigidly mounted upon said hub, a collar screwed in the inner end of saidspokes forming a bearing for the plunger, and whereby said collar isprevented from being accidentally turned or loosened and is locked bythe plunger in its operative position.

4. A resilient wheel comprising in combination a hub, hollow spokesrigidly fixed thereto, an angular plunger, a bearing for said plunger inthe hub, a collar screwthreaded in the inner end of the spoke forming anangular bearing for the plunger, a shoulder on said plunger for whichthe collar forms a stop and a spring seated thereon surroimding theplunger, and an abutment for said spring at the opposite end of andbeyond the plunger.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and aflixed my seal,this 19th day of January, A. D. 1914:.

JOSEPH RENE AYOTTE. [1,. s.] Witnesses:

MILDRED ELSNER, J NO. G. ELLIOTT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner 01' Patents, Washington, D. 0.

